


Asian Giants

by VivianaSousa



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Chess, Drabbles, Friendship, Gen, New Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-25
Updated: 2015-11-25
Packaged: 2018-05-03 07:02:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5281256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VivianaSousa/pseuds/VivianaSousa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>India and China, two nations that have shared a border, and many memories throughout time. A random collection of drabbles that I've written about these two, that will be added onto whenever I have an idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Asian Giants

China was visiting his new-found friend and neighbor, India.

India's house was quite different from his own. Unlike his own home, which he decorated sparingly, in every corner there seemed to be another vase or plant, and on any empty space of wall, one might find a beautifully constructed painting. Bright yellows, verdant greens, and rich reds presented themselves in furniture, artwork, and rugs. It was a colorful display of the inhabitant's possessions.

To China, the house reflected the personality of the man. Of what he'd seen of India so far, he was a very vibrant person, full of stories of his adventures around the world, and always ready to do _something_. Despite that, China suspected that India was about as old as him, maybe even older.

"What's wrong, old man? Does your back hurt too much to play a game?" the other man asked, referring to China's earlier comment of his sore back. 

"Hmph! I'm not  _that_ old! What's this game you have in mind?"

India placed a board and some pieces on the table in front of them. The ivory pieces resembled infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, viziers and kings.

"I've never played this before," his eyes gazing over the pieces and the board.

 "That's because it's a new game. It started as a trend in the courts of my Kings. I call it 'chaturanga'. It's like a war between the two players. The goal is to capture the other player's King. I call it the 'Game of Kings' because it gives them something to do while they're not actually in war."

China laughed at the last comment. He knew all about warring kings. 

* * *

 

China was a quick learner. Soon, they began playing even longer games. Once he made a mistake, he'd never make the same one again. He favored using his chariots and his cavalry to attack, while India favored his viziers and his elephants. 

"You're very direct," India commented one day. "You have a very clear plan of attack. Sometime's I don't even know it's coming!"

"And you like to drag on the game," he replied. "Slowly tightening the noose around my pieces."

They both laughed. 

"Well, I guess different strategies work for different people," India said as he moved his piece. "Checkmate," he said as he smiled at China. 

"Also your taling seems to be another one of your strategies as well, hm?" 

A huge grin stretched on India's face.

"Yes, it is". 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Chaturanga was an early form of Chess appearing in India during the time of the Gupta Empire. It eventually spread West through Persia and the Arab world. A Chinese variant of the game, Xiangqi, is said to have been based on chaturanga. 
> 
> In chaturanga, the infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, viziers and kings match up to the modern day Chess pieces of pawns, knights/horses, bishops, rooks, queens, and kings, respectively.


End file.
